I second the 10 PT Crossbows. Bought the top of their line about 12 years ago. Most expensive weapon I own but dang that thing is accurate and the safety features are great. Can easilly hit quarters at 40 yds. 1st 3 deer were all within 1 inch dead center of the heart. Buddies didn't believe me till I showed them. Sorry if I grossed ya out but 10 PT top of the line crossbows are AWESOME !!!!!! ........... just like the Hobie PA 14 - 2012 model

........ but a 9000 ft shot on an Elk is hard to believe ...... even for a 10 pt

I second the 10 PT Crossbows. Bought the top of their line about 12 years ago. Most expensive weapon I own but dang that thing is accurate and the safety features are great. Can easilly hit quarters at 40 yds. 1st 3 deer were all within 1 inch dead center of the heart. Buddies didn't believe me till I showed them. Sorry if I grossed ya out but 10 PT top of the line crossbows are AWESOME !!!!!! ........... just like the Hobie PA 14 - 2012 model

........ but a 9000 ft shot on an Elk is hard to believe ...... even for a 10 pt

How about 9000 ft ELEVATION, NOT DISTANCE OF SHOT. AVERAGE 35 YARDS MOST BIG GAME.

First, thanks to everyone who has responded to the color question. I guess I will have to get a very expensive pair of sunglasses and see if they still give me a headache. My eyesight has always been exceptionally good and I don't like anything between them and what I am trying to see. Sunglasses have always given me a headache.

Age... well, I'm a pup compared to a couple of you guys I guess. I'm about to hit 51. I just began deer hunting this last fall, and will be after turkeys this spring, but I've been fresh water fishing since I was 4 years old. I've never been in a kayak, so this will be a new experience. The PA caught my attention as I was looking at kayaks (to add a little exercise to my fishing) and their setup seems very well thought out for fishing. The mirage drive sold me because I don't think I would enjoy paddling and fishing. It seems it would be a nuissance .

The more you use your PA, the more you will become addicted, and the more you will want to fish. With extended usage, you will begin to appreciate just how innovative Hobie engineers are. I am on my 7th Hobie, still have three. My first model was Hobie's first, my last is a PA12. My wife still uses that model and will not let me "trade up." We log over a hundred days a year fishing in our units.Look through the Forum and it will help you decide on extras you will want to add depending on what type of waters you fish and species you fish for as well as installation tips.

You mentioned excercise. It is an awesome way to keep legs and back in great shape without the pounding on the joints of running or jogging. Also, for shoulder and arm excercise, we lock the dive-unit flippers up, and break out the paddles for "sprint periods."

A tip if you like to keep eating size fish like perch, trout, crappies, cats, small bass, etc. you don't need the expense of a Hobie live well. Check out a Flow Well, which is a net under a foam ring. It is perfect. Just realize that if you want to move any distance, the net in the water with a mess of fish acts like a sea anchor and you will keep turning in that direction. Just sling it behind the seat for short periods of time. The fish do OK and stay fresh.

It looks as though my journey to fishing from a Hobie PA is running through the deep mud. There are two dealers within my 100 miles and neither carries the PA anymore, because the price is too high now, and their sales have dropped considerably. One place sold about 60 a year and has dropped to 9 last year (not sure if that is PA or hobie in general). With the hobie's going up when the economy is shaky, I guess it is just a lull, but all of it results in me not having a place to demo a PA!

I am now looking at a 200 mile radius and hope to find a store where I can board, sit, move, and exit, a PA. Nothing against Hobie, I just think it unwise to order any product without a personal demo/test. Heck, I'm a really short guy and one thing I need to check is how close is the closest setting on the mirage pedals?

Well... it's a setback, but I think Hobie PA is the best product and I will post if I am able to demo one.

Old dogMy wife is just slightly over 5', with very sort legs. Also, our neighbor kids used our Hobies from very young ages, and now our grandkids use them. Not to worry, guarantee you will find a perfect length.I know you would like to find a place where you can actually try one out, but very few dealers have access to water at/near their shop. There is good reason Hobies own the angling-kayak world. The hands-free peddle concept is the ONLY way to fish. I am in the fortunate position in life to own whatever water craft I would like to fish from, and have tried most. For years I got a new Ranger bass boat almost every year. The kids currently have a decked out ski boat. I have not fished from anything but a Hobie in almost 8 years. There is a reason.Hobies are the best platform to fish from period. And having had Sports, Outbacks and Pro Anglers, in freshwater, the PA and PA12 are absolutely the best, period. I can not speak for what is best in the salt. Sometimes we have to buy products based on the experience of professionals and I have been giving flyfishing, bass fishing, and general freshwater fishing seminars for over forty years. Good luck in your search.

I am in NW Arkansas. Have access to both a lake, (Beaver Lake) and river, (The White River) both less than 1/4mile from the store. Just so happens we have a demo PA12 you could play with. Stop by and we can go fishin. Jim

OG, If you are standing up fishing in the PA, let's say a texas rigged plastic worm, and you get feel that bass tapping, is the kayak stable enough to really set that hook without worry?Thanks for sharing your experiences and knowledge. Both are much appreciated.

Flyfsh, That would be about a 500 mile trip, but if for some reason I pass through there before I go ahead and buy a PA, I'll be sure to let you know.

Some thoughts on that strike with a Texas rig. I use one frequently and have for years.

A. Keep a hook sharpener in your PFD pocket. Sharpen hook after every fish, every collision with debris. Keep hook RAZOR sharp at all times. Small pain in the behind, but VERY worth while. Use quality hooks with top-drawer points. I really like Owner, but there are other quality hooks out there. Now some fishers might not agree, but I have found the Owner Drop Shot design is killer on a Texas rig. Something about that bizare shape. Give it a try. I did by accident when I was short of hooks one day, and have never used anything else since.

B. Use braided line except for short leader of your favorite low-stretch mono.

C. Always, read that ALWAYS, strike straight up! If you use a sweeping side set, you will go in, if not this set, eventually.

D. The Pro Anglers are very stable and have non slip flooring material.

Could someone with a PA 14 please measure and let me know how high/deep/thick it might be? I've looked all over the internet and not found anywhere it is written. Perhaps I haven't looked in the right spots.